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Better not mention ......you know who....
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From: tim tingle <timtingle_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 21:41:07 +0000
From Helen Frost:
One thing that can arise, in trying to reconcile two threads of this good conversation, is that if non-native writers are forbidden to include Native Americans in our books, the problem of invisibility is confirmed. That is, Native American children can feel that no one outside of their community knows they exist, which is not true.
Just when we thought we were all on the same page.....Yakoke, Helen, Thanks. Here's my thinking on the matter. I caught much flack from a few NA storytellers 15 years ago when I began teaching a workshop: "Native American Stories for Non-Native tellers." My inspiration came from my mentor, Charley Jones, our Choctaw tribal storyteller for forty-plus years. He encouraged me to give non-Choctaws the A-hoke to tell some Choctaw tales. "Just be sure they say it's Choctaw, and make sure they don't pretend to be something they're not."
Charley's reasoning? "We want folks to know about us, and there aren't enough Choctaws out there storytelling." In my workshop I usually taught "How Rabbit Lost His Tale," a fun-filled Choctaw trickster tale. I also insisted that before anyone in the workshop even considered telling an American Indian story, they needed to develop a relationship with tribal members and receive their permission. AND, rather than folktales or stories steeped in native culture or religious/spiritual beliefs, I suggested narratives of an Indian nation's history.
I warned about playing instruments or wearing clothing or jewelry that might represent tribal elements the non-native teller may never understand. SOOoooo, I am not advocating the omission of any reference to American Indians in works written by non-Indians. I advocate research, non-book style studies: travel to the nation you hope to write about, run the draft by a respected member of the Indian nation, and do your dam..est to avoid all stereotypes. First step, read "Everything You Know About Indians Is Wrong," by Paul Chaat Smith. "...a funny and painful collection of essays about a deeply serious subject: the ways in which Indian stereotypes infiltrate culture, damaging Indians and non-Indians alike." Annie Dawid, High Country News.
I know, that sounds like quite a bit of trouble to add an Indian character to your book. If you do go to that trouble, you might hear an elder ask, "What took you so long?"
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 21:41:07 +0000
From Helen Frost:
One thing that can arise, in trying to reconcile two threads of this good conversation, is that if non-native writers are forbidden to include Native Americans in our books, the problem of invisibility is confirmed. That is, Native American children can feel that no one outside of their community knows they exist, which is not true.
Just when we thought we were all on the same page.....Yakoke, Helen, Thanks. Here's my thinking on the matter. I caught much flack from a few NA storytellers 15 years ago when I began teaching a workshop: "Native American Stories for Non-Native tellers." My inspiration came from my mentor, Charley Jones, our Choctaw tribal storyteller for forty-plus years. He encouraged me to give non-Choctaws the A-hoke to tell some Choctaw tales. "Just be sure they say it's Choctaw, and make sure they don't pretend to be something they're not."
Charley's reasoning? "We want folks to know about us, and there aren't enough Choctaws out there storytelling." In my workshop I usually taught "How Rabbit Lost His Tale," a fun-filled Choctaw trickster tale. I also insisted that before anyone in the workshop even considered telling an American Indian story, they needed to develop a relationship with tribal members and receive their permission. AND, rather than folktales or stories steeped in native culture or religious/spiritual beliefs, I suggested narratives of an Indian nation's history.
I warned about playing instruments or wearing clothing or jewelry that might represent tribal elements the non-native teller may never understand. SOOoooo, I am not advocating the omission of any reference to American Indians in works written by non-Indians. I advocate research, non-book style studies: travel to the nation you hope to write about, run the draft by a respected member of the Indian nation, and do your dam..est to avoid all stereotypes. First step, read "Everything You Know About Indians Is Wrong," by Paul Chaat Smith. "...a funny and painful collection of essays about a deeply serious subject: the ways in which Indian stereotypes infiltrate culture, damaging Indians and non-Indians alike." Annie Dawid, High Country News.
I know, that sounds like quite a bit of trouble to add an Indian character to your book. If you do go to that trouble, you might hear an elder ask, "What took you so long?"
---
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Received on Thu 20 Feb 2014 03:41:07 PM CST
